Description
The lecture provided by Ulrich Hansen focuses on the engineer's perspective regarding collaboration between mechanical engineers and clinicians, primarily orthopedic surgeons, as well as biologists. Hansen begins by clarifying that his experience is rooted in mechanical engineering, which may differ from other disciplines, such as chemical engineering. He stresses the importance of understanding anatomical terms and surgical procedures relevant to orthopedic work, like joint replacement and specific conditions encountered in surgery.
Throughout the talk, he discusses how engineers must familiarize themselves with clinical terminology and anatomical knowledge, pointing out terms like 'proximal' and 'medial' that may not be intuitive to engineers. Hansen encourages engineers to embrace the learning curve when working alongside clinicians, and assures that initial confusion is part of the process of developing a shared understanding.
As the discussion shifts towards collaborating with biologists, Hansen indicates that this area poses more challenges due to the complexity and specificity of biological terminology and processes. He reflects on the difficulty engineers might have grasping concepts like "proliferation" and "differentiation," which necessitate careful guidance from biologists.
Hansen emphasizes the need for biologists to help engineers connect biological observations, such as histological findings, to their mechanical implications. He articulates that bridging communication gaps between the two disciplines is crucial for successful collaboration.
The lecture transitions to modeling in engineering, where Hansen discusses the advantages and limitations of finite element models and musculoskeletal models that engineers use to predict biological and mechanical behavior. He outlines the importance of validation in these models, as well as their ability to isolate variables in experimental designs, which is often difficult in biological experiments due to the variability among specimens. Hansen concludes by inviting questions from the audience, encouraging a collaborative approach to interdisciplinary research in biomechanics.